


A Prince No More

by didsomeonesayventus



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-17
Updated: 2016-02-17
Packaged: 2018-05-21 07:08:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6042682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/didsomeonesayventus/pseuds/didsomeonesayventus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Ok so during my FF.net days (which I'll be honest I've migrated from the site because the posting is so clunky there and no one seems to want to improve anything) I had this idea: Sora the exiled prince rallying the FF cast of his kingdom to take back his throne. (If you really wanna read that train wreck, it's here: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8917190/1/The-Lost-Prince)</p>
<p>But I thought: This is actually a nice idea, I was just a shit, weaboo mess of a writer then. Maybe I can try rewriting the opening, see how that goes, maybe work on getting the rest done if I feel like it <s>when I should really be working on the hopefully final chapter of Abrasion</s>. But yeah hope this was interesting. <s>I'm so clever it's King Michael and Queen Cosmos geddit King <b>Mickey</b> and Queen <b>Cosmos</b> AKA Disney and Square Enix</s></p></blockquote>





	A Prince No More

Tapestries muted the heavy, urgent footsteps that passed them. The crown prince ran his hands through his golden hair, watching his feet, counting every step until surely he was-

Yes. Here. Turn left.

Soldiers passed him, the creak of their armor and their whispers notably thunderous in the dead of this storming night. Ventus shook his sleepless head and lowered his hand to open the door to his brother’s chambers. The fire had died down to the dimmest of embers, casting the room in barely any light save the torches upon their sconces in the hallway trying to sneak their light into the room, flashes of lightning clawing past the sky and against the windows, and the dim light of the full moon trying to reach through the clouds. Ventus pulled aside the black- normally blue -curtains around his brother’s bed. The familiar lump of the second prince snored, but didn’t stir.

“Sora.” Ventus hissed.

Sora snorted something that sounded vaguely like “chocobo”.

“Sora.” Ven said again, firmer.

“What?” Sora finally woke up. It was almost too dim to see the wonderful blue eyes now glaring at his eldest brother from within his shadow. “Ven... it’s midnight-”

“I know.” Ven kept his voice terse. “But this is important.”

“You know...” Sora paused to yawn as he sat up, “Isn’t it supposed’ta be me who comes to you for nightmare stuff?” He squinted up at Ventus, his eyes narrowing ever more at the sight of him wreathed in light from behind like an angel, but his expression as dour as a gargoyle. “What’d mom tell you I did now? I’m 90% sure it was actually Xi-”

“Sora this isn’t about that.” Ven said, barely moving an inch.

Sora’s squint only deepened. He was practically closing his eyes. “Well why’ya wakin’ me up so late... early... whatever?”

Ventus crouched down and grabbed Sora’s hand from his lap, leaving him to rub his eyes with the other, “You know the mausoleum, right?”

Sora’s eyes snapped open, his voice a deathly whisper, “W-where they keep dad? Wh-what happened?”

“Nothing yet.” Ven murmured, looking at their hands in thought. “You know the sword? The one we buried him with?”

Sora nodded his head with concern, “The one mom said we wouldn’t pull out until you were king-”

“No, we’re grabbing it now. You’re grabbing it.” Ventus said.

Sora pulled his hand away, “But V-”

“Go into the mausoleum, get the sword, pry from dad’s cold, dead hands if you have to, and run, Sora.” Ventus commanded. Which was a sight to behold since Sora had never had a commanding older brother: Ventus was the brother who gave him piggyback rides and fell over when poked with a stick with a triumphant and “agonized” cry, the brother who shrugged and said “as you wish” and helped with tutoring when asked. He was a servant in the best possible sense of the word.

Sora looked at Ven, tried to see a spark in his blue eyes. They were suddenly... old. “W-what’s going on, Ven?”

“Promise me, Sora, you’ll take the sword and run.” Ventus said. Upon seeing his brother’s wide eyes, he added, “Riku will go with you. I’ll send you a messenger later when you can come home. It’s just...” His voice hitched, “It’s just not... Safe here.”

“Ventus what’s going on-” Was all Sora could say before his brother stood.

Ventus shook his head, “I’m gonna check on Xion and tell her to get somewhere safe, but I need you to do as you’re told.” He bent over and kissed Sora’s forehead, “Look, no matter what happens I love you, Sora, and I promise we’ll see each other again.”

Ventus left without bothering to close the door.

Sora got out of bed and threw on a simpler tunic than usual, glancing out at the squads of guards that marched past.

Ven let his feet carry him to Xion’s room, letting his mind wander and worry to its content.

Sora walked down the hall, hesitant steps leading him out of the living quarters and into the empty main halls.

Ven saw Riku, and stopped the young man in his tracks to say his mission was not defending home, but the only chance they had.

Sora could hear metal ringing.

Ventus was now shaking Xion awake.

Sora stood hesitantly in front of the gates outside, looking behind him as the clashes grew louder.

Xion was already putting a dress on over her nightshift, nodding with Ventus as he explained-

Sora saw a candelabra forced over, and the voices yelling made him flee to the cold marble home of the long passed King Michael.

Ventus stood in front of Xion, glowering at the young man of raven hair and bleached bone meal skin that could have passed for a older Sora.

Sora saw the sword gleaming in the corpse’s grasp.

“Well, cousin, I suppose you’re not going to go quietly.” The intruder said.

Sora placed his hand on the cold, bony arm of his father.

“Vanitas, you know Queen Cosmos won’t stand for this and neither will I!” Ventus hissed.

Sora began plucking at the emaciated fingers, too stiff to really pull apart.

“Queen Cosmos? She’s already dead. Why do you think the captain of the guard alerted you something was up?” Vanitas laughed.

Sora winced at the crack of bone as he pulled the fingers apart to get the sword.

Xion screamed, Ven’s eyes darted for a sword to match the one at his cousin’s waist.

“I’m sorry... I’m sorry...” Sora whispered, barely starting to cry as he gently pried the sword into his hands.

Vanitas held up his hand, the soldiers behind him shifting into place, “Well, cousin, we both know what I’m after requires you both,” he giggled, “well, dead.”

Sora yelled when Riku found him, cut short by a sturdy hand and a gentle whisper.

Ventus grabbed a tall, skinny candle stick, and bared it as the best weapon he could get, “What you’re after will never be yours.”

A chocobo nuzzled Sora in full affection, happy to see its prince, but shortly confused as to why he was so wet and upset.

Vanitas flicked his wrist, “We’ll see about that.”

Sora was shoved against the chocobo’s feathery neck with Riku holding the reins behind him when he heard the sounds of battle reaching a fever pitch. He sat up, trying to look past the guard in a blind panic, “Ven?!”

“Your highness he doesn’t matter now!”

Sora saw a window break open, a figure tossed out, and he could barely see who it was in the rain and the darkness but was that a dress- He pressed himself up against Riku, “W-wait! They need me!”

Riku pressed him down, “Sora they need you alive-”

“They need my help!” Sora angrily sat up, the chocobo squawking at its rowdy passengers. He looked at Riku. He looked almost dead, to be honest, but not of any physical wound.

Riku shook his head, white hair glinting in the flash of lighting, “Sora, I don’t think you can help them...”

And Sora realized he couldn’t see the castle any more, and possibly never again.

**Author's Note:**

> Ok so during my FF.net days (which I'll be honest I've migrated from the site because the posting is so clunky there and no one seems to want to improve anything) I had this idea: Sora the exiled prince rallying the FF cast of his kingdom to take back his throne. (If you really wanna read that train wreck, it's here: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8917190/1/The-Lost-Prince)
> 
> But I thought: This is actually a nice idea, I was just a shit, weaboo mess of a writer then. Maybe I can try rewriting the opening, see how that goes, maybe work on getting the rest done if I feel like it ~~when I should really be working on the hopefully final chapter of Abrasion~~. But yeah hope this was interesting. ~~I'm so clever it's King Michael and Queen Cosmos geddit King **Mickey** and Queen **Cosmos** AKA Disney and Square Enix~~


End file.
